9. I really miss that one temp PA that randomly busted out in perfect spanish at my hs internship
My high school required the honor student STEM kids to complete an internship during the summer time before we graduated. I had a 2-month internship at a really reputable architecture firm where my friends' parents worked at (the school administration asked a lot of parents if they could help out I guess). I got a small taste of corporate life, and I actually hated it wow.
I organized files, I learned how to do AutoCAD, I drew some concept art for some buildings, which were fine tasks, I even enjoyed it. I learned about a lot of the impressive projects that they were doing since I sat in on one board meeting with the senior staff. However, a minor narcoleptic moment occurred and I fell asleep randomly during their discussion (hopefully no one noticed.....).
Alas, I only got a sample of the 'fun' work at the firm. I mainly shadowed people and watched them do their jobs. Most of the people were a little older. Mainly senior staff and family people. There were only a couple people who were actually younger than 30.
I remembered two people I shadowed in particular.
The first person I shadowed was this really grumpy former mechanical engineering man who was a little too big for his desk chair and little too hairy for his overgrown 'stache. I shadowed him for an entire day and tried to ask him questions about his job, but it was apparent that he really despised it and was trying to ride it out until retirement. The subsequent day, I asked if I could shadow him again, and he vehemently disagreed because he was "too busy on his project today" and didn't think he could show me the ropes that day. (His project duties weren't that urgent. Ropes were not shown at all. Honestly, he just didn't want to be stuck with me the entire day and that was totally understandable. I was just a stupid high school kid).
The second person I shadowed was this temp worker, who was a personal assistant to one of the senior architects at the firm. I adored her like a big sister. (I know it's a little inappropriate for the professional life, but I was 16 at the time) Besides me, she was the youngest person on their payroll (wait, I wasn't even on the payroll I got paid in experience lol). I think she told me she was ten years older than me and I immediately was drawn to her. She was so pleasant to be around- she had this quiet confidence to her and was so jubilant. She didn't work the front desk, but was placed off to the side of the reception, tasked with a lot of the admin stuff and travel plan organization. I wanted her job so badly. She seemed like she was having so much fun while doing it.
There was one instance where a courier came to the office, but couldn't speak English at all. The front desk ladies were a little hopeless and couldn't figure out what he wanted and our favorite temp PA stepped up to the plate and busted out in a clear Mexican-accented Spanish (she did not look Mexican at all, she was white white!) I stood-by and eavesdropped in the conversation while trying to look busy.
After that whole ordeal, I complimented her in her language skills, in spanish, of course
She simply told me,
"Oh wow Kayla, ¿tú hablas español? Haha, gracias.. Creo que me veo una gringa, pero mi papa es de Guadalajara."
[Oh wow Kayla, you speak spanish? Haha thanks. I think I look like a white girl, but my dad is from Guadalajara]
She said,
"I really like spanish. It sounds like how it's spelled."
She made the internship tolerable. I miss her.
Just a side note, my blog actually reached more than 200 reads in the first week!! Wow! Thank you guys! That's so cool!
I would love to shout out my good friend, tiramisú. One of my main inspirations for starting the blog and a long-time supporter of my writing. Please check out his writing as well- he is phenomenal!
~ the 3-gallon water cooler jug chillin in the back of the office closet,
<3 K